Everyday Reflections

The Learnings

The year has taught me a lot personally and professionally. On a personal front, the loss of my father has taught me that our notion of being in control is more ephemeral than real. Within seconds, life changed for us. I could have wished for more, but in the end, this is where mortal humans have to draw a line!

Earlier in the year, we saw a lot of organizational changes, and the safe environment I used to operate in changed entirely. Overnight, equations changed, with a new set of people, resetting expectations, and rebuilding the network. I turned to personal coaching around this time and realized how much more I have to learn and upskill myself. For all of us, the learning agenda is a continuum that we all have to embrace and find time for to help us evolve in the future.

This year, I allocated self-reflection time to ensure that I am able to pursue the learning agenda I set out for myself. Just having a learning agenda is not enough.

Having a systems view while solving problems is important. I have seen many times when people do not take a broad view and, therefore, encounter concerns with a narrow focus. Nothing will be perfect, but if you have to expand your horizon, then you need to take a much broader view.

You will only have a great partnership if you base it on three pillars:

• Respect
• Trust
• Honesty

Throughout the year, across different cultures I interacted with, one common takeaway for me while working in a vastly distributed culture is that you need to be a global citizen in a global village. No longer remaining oblivious to macro factors does help. We need to understand each aspect to operate effectively in such kinds of systems.

Being Fit

I have continued to maintain my running schedule this year as well. I presume the data does show that I have been doing well! I have also found it to be a great social tool that has helped me create new relationships and understand what it means to have a life outside of work and family. Running has been a glue between my physical and mental health!

Family Time

It is an important aspect of life, and we take it for granted almost to the point of ignoring it. Most probably, the problem stems from the fact that we think being around the family is family time. That is not true. It really implies spending time asking questions that engage your kids, going out for walks with your parents, and having coffee with your spouse! In many ways, I was giving anecdotal reflection to what it means to spend time with family away from digital distractions and everyday life issues.

While the year was not kind enough to me and the family, as I lost my father :(, I am content that I have created memories over the years that remind me of him and what he stood for! Please do not let your career and busy life be the barrier to spending good time with your family!

The Books I recommend

I read a couple of books throughout the year, and I would love others to get their hands on them if not already done! Some of these books really shape your mindset towards the problems we handle on a daily basis!

A must read for everyone who cares about driving customer engagement.	If you want to know how some of the great products were built then this is a must read !	In today’s world , if you want distraction free focus then go for this !
Our world is far more distributed and global today than one can imagine. This book helps you build a perspective of being a global citizen	This is a great book to learn how to perform under pressure. We are sometimes not our natural self and giving your best when it matters most is important !	Great book if you want to gain insights on how to move fast at scale ! How well does organization respond to changing market conditions, customer needs, and emerging technologies!